© Sam Bloxham for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix ltd.
Mercedes Technical Director James Allison doesn’t “think it’s sensible to have cars that hug the ground in the way that these cars hug it”.
When Formula 1 introduced its new regulations in 2022, the main goal was to make racing closer. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen, as Red Bull embarked on a period of unprecedented domination.
Mercedes Technical Director James Allison says there are certain things in the regulations that should not be retained after the next regulations change in 2026, however, he doesn’t think the regulators are to blame for Red Bull’s domination.
“I don’t necessarily think that they’ve failed in those terms, because our job is to try and make sure that we can make a good fight of it,” Allison said.
“But there are things in the regulations that don’t serve any of us well. I don’t think it’s sensible to have cars that hug the ground in the way that these cars hug it.
“And the idea that you get good racing by controlling wakes, while ignoring tyres… The whole idea of controlling wakes, being something of a tilting-at-windmills type of challenge, that side of things has been tested to destruction fairly evidently.
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“But Red Bull are doing a good job and the rest of us have a duty to do a better job. I don’t think that’s the fault of the regulator.”
Although Allison says he has no problems with the ground-effect cars, he would like the FIA to pay more attention to certain issues in the next rules cycle.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong in particular with ground-effects floors.
“But the particular layout of these ones, that have a response to rear ride height that is not particularly good for the cars, that isn’t something that we should carry into 2026.
“Amongst the teams, that would be a pragmatically accepted response. The FIA is still very much of a mind to place wake management at the top of the tree of everything, sacrificing this stuff.
“And it’d be helpful if there was more of a balanced approach there,” the Briton concluded.
